Monkeybone

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Monkeybone

PG-13

2001

1h 32m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

21%

Tomatometer

112 Reviews

28%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Slipping into a coma following a freakish accident, cartoonist Stu Miley (Brendan Fraser) finds himself in an incredible fantasy world known as Down Town. To return to reality, Stu has to outwit Death, herself (Whoopi Goldberg)... but one of the cartoonist's own creations, Monkeybone, has come to life and is manically intent on destroying Stu's plans to resume his life.

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Critics Consensus

Though original and full of bizarre visuals, Monkeybone is too shapeless a movie, with unengaging characters and random situations that fail to build up laughs.

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Bob Thomas

Associated Press

01/17/2018

It is a puzzling melange of live action and cartoon, real life and fantasy that is almost stupefyingly incoherent.

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Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

04/26/2007

You can almost see money dripping off the walls of the sets and cybersets in this special-effects extravaganza.

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Derek Adams

Time Out

06/24/2006

The design is often brilliant, although the film is nowhere near as tasteless or funny as it ought to be.

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Cory Woodroof

615 Film

11/10/2022

It’s a lot of fun, even though it’s so damn weird at times I’m glad I didn’t see this as a kid so it wouldn’t give me uncontrollable nightmares. Brendan Fraser gives a delightful performance in the kind of role only he could really pull off.

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Kathi Maio

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction

02/26/2020

Monkeybone doesn't make a lot of sense, and, worse, makes little creative use of the contrast between animation and action.

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Scott G. Mignola

Common Sense Media

01/02/2011

1/5

Starts out bad and gets progressively worse.

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bowen p

Dec 14

Childhood favourite!

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Wirt S.

@littleJackPopcorner Nov 10

It’s incoherent and lacks taste or emotional connection, but I can’t stop watching it. Brief as they are, the supernatural “downtown” sequences are a visual treat.

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Ana A.

@brownbeauty Sep 10

I really liked it. Brendan Fraser is such a good actor !!!

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Jens B

@Jens97 Jul 31

I'm torn. My biggest criticism of "Monkeybone" is the irritating character of Brendan Fraser, or Monkeybone as Brendan Fraser. The actual story being told here also operates within a very conventional framework. The way the story is told is what makes the film so charming. So many crazy images and quirky ideas are presented, the coma world is depicted with such attention to detail, and the escape from organ donation is so energetic that I was delighted with this colorful bag of goodies, despite a few flaws.

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12/21/2024

This is definitely in my top ten films, it’s off the wall insanity with a ton of gorgeous and creative visuals that still hold up. Stop motion never fails to impress me, and the way it’s implemented into live action here is truly incredible.

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Anderson O

@Platinum2027 09/23/2024

It has a simple plot, but it’s so zany, I can’t be intrigued by it. Chris Karan’s performance near the end makes this even sillier and canny save it. Interesting and creative set designs and creative at best, a few performances are solid but don’t elevate it to good. Not very funny either. Monkeybone has a fun zone to someone else’s point of view, but it’s reckless and not ashamed of what it wants to be. Whatever it’s going for.

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Henry Selick

Director

Brendan Fraser

Stu Miley

Bridget Fonda

Julie McElroy

Rose McGowan

Kitty

Whoopi Goldberg

Death

Chris Kattan

Organ Donor Stu

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Synopsis

Slipping into a coma following a freakish accident, cartoonist Stu Miley (Brendan Fraser) finds himself in an incredible fantasy world known as Down Town. To return to reality, Stu has to outwit Death, herself (Whoopi Goldberg)... but one of the cartoonist's own creations, Monkeybone, has come to life and is manically intent on destroying Stu's plans to resume his life.

Director: Henry Selick
Producer: Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan
Screenwriter: Sam Hamm, Kaja Blackley
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: 1492 Pictures, Twitching Image Studio, Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: PG-13 (Some Nudity|Crude Humor)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 23, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.4M
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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